Dream Muscle is about inspiring you to discover something NEW about yourself. I am often told, “I CAN’T DO WHAT YOU DO.” You’re INSANE!

What many don’t know is that just a year and half ago I couldn’t do it either. I was devastated with an injury that occurred during my playing career that left me without exercise. At that particular time in my life I realized something NEW about myself. I realized that I WAS A FIGHTER and I HAD THE STRENGTH to overcome my injury and setback and through it all I became a stronger person and I was not going to let my circumstances stop me from becoming my absolute best in life and continue pursuing something (fitness) I had enjoyed my entire life.

YES, you cannot do what I do and I cannot do what you do. You will never experience your absolute best in any area of your life if you continue to compare yourself to others. Just start where you are and get better, if its 5 minutes of working out with light weight, do that. If its 10 minutes with no weight, then do that. Start comparing yourself to where you DESIRE to be and I promise you that you will exceed your expectations and someone else will say the same thing you once said, I CAN’T DO WHAT YOU DO…

You were created for a purpose, there’s a dream in your heart that needs to be pursued.

Strength and conditioning is the most important aspect of revamping the body. Your body was designed for natural movement. We live in a world where most people think strength and conditioning is for athletes and those who are obsessed with working out. That is far from the truth. Every person on the planet was designed with a body that needs to be strengthened and conditioned. However, strength and conditioning looks different for each person.

When people arrive at Dream Muscle Gym they typically do not have any idea what to expect. We treat every one as athletes when they walk in our doors. From a 20 year-old kid to an 80 year-old lady. We believe the body was designed to move in natural and athletic ways with short bursts of speed to raise the heart rate and burn fat.

We’ve had many non-athletes come and complete our program and it is interesting to monitor the progressions from when they start to when they finish. Most of them say, “Its too much,” or I can’t lift that.” By the end of the program they are asking for more workout routines, more sets and more weight. So we have concluded that is NEVER TOO MUCH. Whether you want to lose weight or build muscle we can help you at DREAM MUSCLE GYM

Your greatest supporter is YOU! Your greatest enemy is YOU! You have an opportunity to make your life the best. Many of you have failed yourself over and over again just to settle for what is rather what could be. Physical exercise is not rocket science. It is vitally important you find a fitness routine that works for you. I myself have tried a variety of workout routines, P90X, Insanity, Cross Fit, Bodybuilding and the list goes on.

Find something that works for you, coupled with your health and fitness goals with determination and a vision to create a better life experience for yourself. Your greatest battle is between YOU and YOU. You have what it takes to conquer your fears and progress into a greater experience for yourself. Live your Best Life Now!

Tip: Affirm yourself with positive words about yourself. Repeat these: I am healthy, I will not lose, I will be my absolute best, I refuse negativity, I refuse to be depressed and I will win.

CLICK HERE! to schedule your visit to one of the best gyms in Kansas City.

Today is a great day to train your body, so you can exercise your mind. “To train the body is to train the mind.” Our mission is to inspire you towards your greatness. Only you can decide what your greatness is. You will become what you desire to adopt as values, principles and ultimately the habits or lack thereof you develop. My hope is that you will wake up with an “I CAN” attitude and pursue your greatness by any means necessary. Many people will come to try and take you down through negative comments, feedback and thoughts. Wherever you are, go and find a mirror, look into it and let yourself know that you will decide to pursue your greatness and that nothing will stop you. Work hard and train hard and I promise you, your life will be an amazing gift to those around you. You will feel good, look good and possess the confidence to achieve your greatest level of success in life.

Tip: When choosing your workout routines, remember to choose according to your fitness goals. If you do not like running, do not start running. There are a variety of ways to meet your fitness goals within your liking. No Excuses! Let’s get it done.

Today was an AWESOME DAY! I took a client through a strength and conditioning workout with an emphasis on strength. The myth is that strength and conditioning is for athletes only. That is not true, strength and conditioning is important to the overall development of the body and mind. Strength and conditioning routines typically move you out of your comfort zones. It forces the body to stretch beyond its capacity into a variety of movements. Today our main movement were the squat, so we tried to work in a squat in whatever movement we were doing, such as,

DB Squat

BB Squat

Kettle Bell Squat

We also switched up the reps between low and high. We then moved to the Deadlift,

Straight leg Deadlift

Kettle Bell Deadlift

We concluded the workout with 10 minutes on the stationary bike and five minutes on the stair stepper. The stair stepper really beat the sweat out of my client. So you can see the variety of exercises we were able to incorporate for the goal of strength and conditioning. As you can see it is very clear that strength and conditioning were the focus, squats, Deadlifts for strength and the stationary bike and stair stepper for conditioning.

If you would like more information on how I was able to lose 50 pounds in 6o days and increase my bench press to over 200 pounds, please CLICK HERE!

Health and Fitness in America has become a complex subject. A majority of people in America are overweight and over-drugged. We have access to larges amounts of information like never before and yet people are continuing to drift away from the idea of health and fitness. It is my opinion that we have made health and fitness a complex subject and it is NOT. In my opinion it is very simple, either you workout and eat healthy or you do not. Your lifestyle is designed differently depending who you are and where you currently reside. But the topic “Health and Fitness” speaks for itself. It is that simple!

Many of you are stuck trying to figure out the logistics of fitness and dieting. Many people spend thousands of dollars trying to count points, special programs, plans, magic pills, etc. The reality is staying active, the habit of staying active alone will better your lifestyle. You do not need a million recipes, plans, coaches, pills, etc. You just have to do it. You have a great opportunity to better your life through health and fitness, life isn’t a race it is a marathon. So anything worth doing takes time. Just know that a healthy fitness lifestyle is really simple, Do you workout? Are you eating healthy?

I had the privilege of interviewing former Cincinnati Bengals Wide receiver Shay Hodges. This was an awesome interview that was conducted on the topics of Faith, Family and Football.

His story is very interesting. Not only did he grow up in a small town of Morton, Mississippi. But he was also blessed with the ability and skill to play high school, college and professional football. I personally honor athletes and commend them for continuing and choosing to get better as athletes and I also give double honor for athletes choosing to become better people as well. Shay Hodge is one of those guys who has chosen to become a better person. He has faced a lot wins and loses in his life and athletic career thus far.

While a standout high school athlete he was able to juggle life and football excelling in academics. Then receiving a football scholarship to the University of Mississippi. Becoming one of NCAA Football top receivers by his senior year in college and rated a NFL Draft prospect as the 8th best wide receiver in the 2010 NFL draft.

Shay has been inspired, determined and challenged all at the same time. Being raised by his mother and step father, while watching one of his favorite athletes and role models Deuce McAllister reach and live out his dreams of playing in the NFL. Shay began to realize that if he continued to work hard and put forth his best effort that he could accomplish his dreams of playing in the NFL as well. The more he looked within himself and at his life, the more he realized how close he was to living out his dream. He feels his life is a testament to others and he never wants to take his life for granted. Some kid is sitting at home dreaming to do what he’s already done and some father is living in regret for not maximizing his opportunities.

Some of Shays challenges came at the end of his college career at the University of Mississippi. He battled an ankle injury that slowed his progress for NFL preparation.

He was able to make his way through the NFL Combine (evaluation workouts held by NFL scouts) and Pro Day (evaluation workouts held by universities for pro scouts). The devastation continued as he was not selected in the 2010 NFL Draft but was immediately picked up by the San Francisco 49ers but was not signed due to inability to pass team physical. Shay expressed to me the frustration that he was feeling at that time. He stated “I was not healthy to play and I didn’t have the time to get healthy because I was standing directly in front of my window of opportunity.”

Some way some how Shay continued to fight through the adversity and ended up signing with the Cincinnati Bengals. He believes that the adversity has strengthened him and allowed him to become a better person. Even during those times of not being healthy battling the ankle and knee injuries. Shay contemplated if football would be an option in his future. Would it be in his best interest to let it go and start a new chapter in his life?

The leadership lessons I learned from Shay:

NEVER GIVE UP! You have to continue to work and prove yourself over and over again.

Shay Hodge has recently signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Canadian Football League) mini camp begins April 2013.

How was your transition from high school into college? I didn’t have to do much, I did not work as hard as I should have in high school, because I was naturally gifted but when I went to college I felt like I wasn’t the man anymore and I had to compete.

How was life in the NFL? It was good. I spent most of my time working to get on the active roster. Which was accomplished the last 2 games of the season.

College career:
Hodge was a 2009 first-team All-SEC selection. He became the all-time leading receiver in Ole Miss history with 2,646 receiving yards. While at Ole Miss, he had 22 receiving touchdowns and 173 career catches, making him second in Ole Miss history. His six 100-yard receiving games tied him for second in Ole Miss history. In his senior season at Ole Miss, he caught 70 passes for 1,135 yards and a team-high eight touchdown grabs.

What did you earn your degree in?
Journalism … Made U.M.A.A. Honor Roll in Spring 2007 and Fall 2008.

Do you have a relationship with God? Yes, I believe God is everything!

If you had one piece of advice to give to kids what would it be? Never Give Up!

For more information on Shay Hodge please visit: Shay Hodge Bio you can also follow Shay on Twitter

What have you learned from Shay? Leave your comments in the comment sections below

If you are interested in sharing your story, please email: dreammuscle at gmail.com